Early Childhood Program (Preschool)

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Designed to meet the needs of Lakewood prekindergarten children, the program is available to Lakewood children who meet eligibility criteria. It is an opportunity for children to participate in an Early Childhood experience, which is tailored to meet each student's unique needs and learning style.

The services of the Early Childhood Education Program have been successful in our community since 1990. All of our locations have earned the highest rating of 5 stars from the Ohio Department of Education. The Lakewood Early Childhood Program is funded by the Ohio Department of Education Early Childhood Education grant, U.S. Department of Education Early Childhood Special Education grant, and local funds. The program recruits and admits students of any race, color, disability or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities.

The Lakewood Early Childhood Program is comprised of an integrated classroom format and a six plus six format. The integrated classrooms are staffed by an Early Childhood Education teacher, a Special Education teacher and an educational assistant. The six plus six classrooms are staffed by a Special Education teacher and an educational assistant. Both classroom formats follow the Lakewood City School District calendar and teach based upon Ohio's Early Learning and Development Standards. The Essential Domains of School Readiness include:

Social and Emotional Development

Physical Well-being and Motor Development

Approaches Toward Learning

Language and Literacy Development

Cognition and General Knowledge

Classes are composed of eligible 4 year-old Early Childhood Education students and eligible 3 - 5 year- old Early Childhood Special Education students.

Assessment is ongoing throughout the school year. The first weeks of each school year, specific assessments are used to determine the needs of each student. Students participate in state mandated testing.